Oil ring for pistons



Aug. 21, 1951 c. H. GRAY OIL RING FOR PISTONS Filed Oct. 9, 1950 Envcntor Charles H Gray Gttorncgs i atented Aug. 21,

N D STATES PATENT oFFioE OIL RTNG FOR PISTONS Charles H.- 'Gray, Dellroy, Ohio Application October '9, 1950, Serial No. 189,150

5 Claims. 1

The invention relates to piston ringsand more particularly to an oil ring especially "designed for use in the lower groove of an internal combustion engine piston for collecting any surplus oil on the cylinder wall and directing it back into the crankcase.

One of the greatest obstacles in the production of internal combusion engines is the provision of a suitable oil collecting ring on the piston for preventing surplus oil on the cylinder wall, during the operation of the motor, from being sucked into the combustion chamber and being mixed with the gas charge therein, as this oil in the combustion chamber tends to form carbon deposits therein, producing a knock in the motor.

and reducing the power thereof, as well as causing a stream of black smoke to issue from the exhaust pipe.

In an effort to overcome these objections and disadvantages, various forms of oil rings have been designed, but such oil rings as have been tried have either not proven entirely satisfactory in use, or have been too complicated in design and costly to manufacture to make them commercially practical.

The present invention therefore contemplates the provision of an oil ring of simple and economic construction, which will efficiently collect surplus oil on the cylinder walls and direct it back into the crankcase.

Another object is to provide an oil ring having two spaced, annular wall engaging portions, each having an annular scraping edge on its underside.

A further object is to provide such a ring comprising an integral structure consisting of spaced upper and lower annuli joined at intervals by alternately disposed tapered lugs.

A still further object is to provide such a ring in which the top surface of the lower annulus is inwardly and downwardly inclined.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ring of the character referred to, in which the spaces between the tapered lugs is considerably greater than the width of the lugs, so as to provide for free passage of oil inwardly through the ring.

The above objects together with others which Will appear from the drawing and following description, or which may be later referred to, may be attained by constructing the improved oil ring in the manner hereinafter described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which;

Figure 1 is an edge elevation of an oil ring embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 a plan sectional view of the ring, taken as on the line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 a diametric section through the ring, taken as on the line 3-3, Fig. 2; and,

Fig. 4 an enlarged, fragmentary, detail section of adjacent portions of a cylinder wall and piston, showing a cross section of the improved oil ring located in the groove in the piston provided therefor.

Referring now more particularly to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout, the improved oil ring, indicated generally at It is an integral structure formed of cast iron, or other suitable metal generally used for the construction of such rings.

The ring comprises the spaced upper and lower annuli II and I2 respectively, the lower annulus I2 being preferably of slightly greater height than the upper annulus II, for a purpose which will later appear.

Each annulus II and I2 is of uniform width throughout, as indicated in the drawing, and the two annuli are joined at spaced intervals by the integral lugs I3 and I4 which are tapered in vertical cross section, as best shown in Fig. 2. These lugs I3 and I4 are alternately disposed, also as best shown in Fig. 2, the lugs I3 being tapered inwardly while the lugs I4 are tapered outwardly.

Also these lugs are of considerably less cross sectional area than the spaces or slots I5 therebetween, so as to provide free passage for surplus oil through the ring toward the inside thereof, and, as best shown in Fig. 2, each of these spaces or slots I5 is wider at the outer side of the ring than at the inner side, so as to permit the maximum amount of surplus oil from the cylinder walls to enter these slots.

Preferably one of the lugs, as indicated at Ida, is located at the usual parting or joint IS in the ring. As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the upper surface of the lower annulus I2 is inwardly and downwardly inclined, as indicated at IT, so as to provide for rapid drainage of surplus oil inwardly through the ring. For this purpose it is desirable that the lower annulus I2 be made of greater height than the upper annulus II.

The underside of each annulus II and I2 is provided at its periphery with an inverted, V- shape, annular groove I8, terminating at the periphery of the annulus so as to provide a V- shape scraping edge I9 on the underside thereof.

When the improved ring is inserted in the lower groove 20, ordinarily provided in the lower portion of the piston 2| for receiving an oil ring, and the piston is assembled within a cylinder, as indicated at 22, it will be seen that the peripheral edges of the upper and lower annuli II and I2 contact the cylinder wall 23, the V-shape, peripheral scraping edges 19 of the upper and lower annuli of the ring removing surplus oil from the cylinder wall 23 as the piston moves downwardly within the cylinder.

The surplus oil scraped from the cylinder wall by the peripheral scraping edge I9 of the upper annulus II will be discharged into the slots or spaces l5 between the tapered lugs l3 and i4, onto the inwardly and downwardly inclined top surface ll of the lower annulus, so as to rapidly drain the oil inwardly through the ring to the usual downwardly and inwardly inclined discharge openings 24 in the piston, so that the oil is directed back to the crankcase.

Surplus oil removed from the cylinder wall 23 by the peripheral scraping edge [9 of the lower annulus I2 will be directed down the cylinder wall between the same and the skirt of the piston 2| and directed back to the crankcase.

It will be apparent that the improved oil ring is simple and economical in construction so that it is practical for commercial production, and that the construction is such that it will gather and remove any and all surplus oil from the cylinder wall, thus overcoming the objections and disadvantages of oil rings such as are now in common use.

I claim:

1. An oil ring of the character described comprising an integral structure including spaced upper and lower annuli and spaced, integral lugs between said annuli, providing slots between the lugs of considerably greater cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the lugs, the top surface of the lower annulus being inwardly and downwardly inclined.

2. An oil ring of the character described comprising an integral structure including spaced upper and lower annuli and spaced, integral lugs between said annuli, providing slots between the lugs of considerably greater cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the lugs, the top surface of the lower annulus being inwardly and downwardly inclined, there being an annular groove in the underside of the upper annulus forming a peripheral V-shape scraping edge thereon.

3. An oil ring of the character described comprising an integral structure including spaced upper and lower annuli and spaced, integral lugs between said annuli, providing slots between the lugs of considerably greater cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the lugs, there being an annular groove in the underside of the upper annulus forming a peripheral, V-shaped scraping edge thereon.

4. An oil ring of the character described comprising an integral structure including spaced upper and lower annuli and spaced, integral, tapered lugs between said annuli, providing slots between the lugs of considerably greater cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the lugs, there being an annular groove in the underside of each annuli forming peripheral, V-shaped scraping edges thereon.

5. An oil ring of the character described comprising an integral structure including spaced upper and lower annuli and spaced, integral, tapered lugs between said annuli, providing slots between the lugs of considerably greater crosssectional area than the cross-sectional area of the lugs, the top surface of the lower annulus being inwardly and downwardly inclined, there being an annular groove in the underside of each annuli forming peripheral, V-shape scraping edges thereon.

CHARLES H. GRAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,782,426 Johnson Nov. 25, 1930 1,894,000 Morton Jan. 10, 1933 1,965,623 Wuerfel July 10, 1934 1,976,794 McCullough Oct. 16, 1934 

